Goal is to emphasize the role of the veterinarian in animal care

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) announced that Pfizer Animal Health has joined USFRA, becoming the first animal health company member of USFRA's Premier Partner Advisory Group.

"It is important that the agriculture industry joins together for the common goal of building public trust in the U.S. food system," said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau and chairman of USFRA. "USFRA is proud to have partners like Pfizer Animal Health supporting our mission of enhancing consumer trust, maintaining and enhancing the freedom of U.S. farmers and ranchers to operate in a responsible manner, and strengthening collaboration within the food production, processing and distribution systems."

As a member of the Premier Partner Advisory Group, Pfizer Animal Health has a seat on the USFRA board, the Chief Executive Officer Advisory Council and an opportunity to participate in USFRA committees/task forces, annual meeting and educational activities. In addition, the expertise of Pfizer Animal Health can be used to help guide official positions in important animal care and health practices topics.

"Healthy food begins with healthy animals," said Clint Lewis, president of U.S. operations for Pfizer Animal Health. "Veterinarians who care for animals on America's farms play a key role in this effort, and through our collaboration with USFRA, Pfizer aims to raise the visibility and the voice of the veterinarian in our nation's conversations about food production."

The Alliance will focus on enhancing consumer trust in today's food production through education and communications to consumer influencers and thought leaders. An important Alliance goal is to lead the conversation about the industry's commitment to continuous improvement and the importance of today's agriculture.

"It's important for us to help educate consumers about the existing strong partnership between livestock farmers and their veterinarians," said Roger Saltman, DVM, MBA, group director, Cattle & Equine Technical Services, Pfizer Animal Health. "It's their daily attention to good stewardship practices that enables our food supply to be safe, nutritious and affordable."

"Veterinarians working together with farmers and ranchers allow for the creation of strong animal health programs," added Shelley Stanford, DVM, MS, MBA, director, Pork Technical Services at Pfizer Animal Health. "This protects not only the animals, but society at large, including public health and food safety."

USFRA's members represent nearly all aspects of U.S. agriculture uniting with one voice. To become involved in USFRA, please visit www.usfraonline.org.

About USFRA
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance member organizations have joined together to fund programs that strengthen the image of agriculture and enhance public trust in today's agricultural best production practices. For more information about USFRA, go to www.usfraonline.org.

About Pfizer Animal Health
Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer Inc., is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacture and commercialization of animal health medicines and vaccines, with a focus on both livestock and companion animals. For more than 60 years, we have been committed to enhancing the health of animals and bringing solutions to our customers who raise and care for them. To learn more, visit www.pfizeranimalhealth.com.